Is collagen banking truly capable of delivering what it claims?

In the beauty universe, collagen might just be the most overused word of our time. Not long after I first encountered the phrase “collagen banking” (which, at first, sounded faintly absurd, as if the industry was now inviting us to open some sort of savings account for future skin), the phrase kept surfacing almost as though there existed a quiet, collective understanding that this was the direction beauty was heading to. Surprisingly, dermatologists are not dismissing the idea as marketing fluff. Instead, many seem to suggest that the concept reflects a more futuristic way of thinking, one that prioritises long-term structural integrity over surface-level fixes.

“We hit peak collagen in our early twenties. By 25, the decline begins—1 per cent to 1.5 per cent loss per year—that’s why preservation is important,” explains Dr Akanksha Agarwal, founder and director, Centre for Aesthetics. But this is no longer the gentle descent earlier generations eased into. Modern life has rewritten the script. The accelerated churn of stress hormones, sleep disruptions, metabolic distortions, and the pollution that settles into pores long before we feel it—all of it conspires to wear down collagen. Dr Trishna Gupte, clinical cosmetologist and trichologist at The Cosmo-Square Clinic, sees this shift as a sign of our times: “We’re seeing teens with pre-diabetic PCOS and lifestyle disorders. These factors eventually hamper collagen production.” She points out that the window narrows faster than we realise. “After 32-34, preservation becomes more critical than aggressive stimulation.”

NEW VOCABULARY OF AGEING

If collagen loss is inevitable, collagen banking is its deliberate counterpoint—a decision to engage with the skin’s architecture while it is still resilient, elastic, eager to respond. As Atul Rajani, founder and CIO of Be., a wellness supplement brand, puts it, “Collagen banking is a two-fold strategy that focuses on safeguarding existing collagen from premature degradation while simultaneously stimulating new production.” This reframes the concept as an ongoing practice rather than a shortcut. Dr Manisha Mareddy, consultant cosmetic dermatologist at Jade Clinic, reiterates it, calling it “a long-term plan to preserve and build a durable bank of dermal collagen before major loss occurs”.

What makes collagen banking distinctly modern is its refusal to detach itself from lifestyle. Rajani, whose work sits at the intersection of internal and external ageing, says, “Collagen peptides provide the signal, but lifestyle determines the magnitude of the response.” And then there is the truth nobody wants to admit—that genetics can start the story, but discipline is what shapes it. Dr Gupte has watched this unfold across years of practice. “I have seen genetically ‘weaker’ skin age far better than stronger skin simply because of disciplined prevention.”

PRESERVATION BEFORE REPAIR

An ideal collagen preservation routine is a marriage of science and consistency. It works best when it combines daily care with periodic professional treatments. Dr Agarwal explains, “At home, simple steps like applying broad-spectrum SPF, antioxidants, and peptides, along with doctor-guided retinoids, help protect the skin and gently stimulate collagen production every day.” This daily routine forms the foundation of collagen banking—small, regular actions that keep fibroblasts active and resilient. Yet, skincare alone is insufficient to preserve structural integrity over time. “Monthly or quarterly sessions, such as hydrating facials, mild chemical peels, or skin boosters, help optimise skin turnover and support fibroblast function,” she suggests.

She adds, “Once or twice a year, higher-intensity treatments—RF microneedling, focused ultrasound, CO2 or erbium lasers, PDRN, and exosomes—act almost like a workout for your skin, giving the dermis the kind of targeted push it needs to keep fibroblasts strong, active and committed to producing healthy, resilient collagen.”

It is this philosophy of strategic renewal that Dr Mareddy emphasises when she says radiofrequency microneedling “is an effective yearly preservation treatment because it delivers deep, controlled dermal stimulation that triggers strong collagen production”.

The aim is not a dramatic change in the moment but a sustained resilience years down the line. But age draws a limit, experts remind us. “The banking opportunity diminishes around menopause or after 50. At that point, treatments become corrective, not preventative,” says Dr Agarwal. Nutrition and supplementation augment the clinical regimen. Rajani says, “Oral collagen peptides, particularly bioactive collagen peptides, collagen tripeptides, and marine-derived Type I collagen, offer measurable improvements in skin elasticity and dermal density.”

PRACTICE, NOT PROMISE

Collagen banking is not an anti-ageing panacea, and it does not “freeze” time. Instead, it alters the trajectory of skin ageing in a structurally meaningful way. “The goal isn’t to look 25 forever; it’s to ensure that at 50, your skin has the structural integrity of someone 5–10 years younger, reducing the need for aggressive interventions later,” says Dr Agarwal.

Dr Gupte sees it as both preventive and corrective: “You maintain firmness and contour far longer when you start early. In other words, it is a strategy of foresight and fidelity, a commitment to structural longevity that elevates skin health beyond cosmetic desire. As Rajan summarises, “The best strategy is to protect more, lose less, stimulate modestly, and maintain lifestyle. That is what collagen banking should mean, if it’s to be scientifically honest.”

Image: Courtesy Getty Images

This article first appeared in the December 2025 print issue of Harper's Bazaar India 


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